LYMAN FILAMENT EXTRUDER V6 Construction and Operating Manual

The LYMAN FILAMENT EXTRUDER V6 is a filament extruder that is designed to either be used on a desktop or mounted vertical on a wall or shelves. It also can be mounted vertically on a desktop with a separate stand. It produces filament for use in 3D printers. It extrudes 3mm ABS filament at about 25 inches per minute with a diameter tolerance of +/- 0.06mm. Other plastics can be extruded, however have not been tested. This version V6 is patterned after the LYMAN FILAMENT EXTRUDER II, configured different but with similar electronics. This extruder is simple and easy to build. Add a spool wind up system and you will have a complete system.

Watch the video on YouTube for the setup procedure:

https://youtu.be/GHHyPwk5r84

The Lyman Filament Extruder V6 is an open source product licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.

http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/

HUGH LYMAN INVENTOR

The following pages illustrates how I built the extruder.

Wall or shelf mount with variable motor speed control

Wall or shelf mount with fan switch Desktop or bench mount

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To begin with print the 3D printed parts from the STL files which are furnished separately. I have designed these parts so that they may be printed on a 3D printer with a maximum 9x7 inch bed. There are two hopper feed attachments, one for horizontal use and one for vertical mounting. This photo shows three of the electronic case sides printing. There are 4 of these sides and the 4th one has two extra hole in it for attaching the fan bracket.

This photo shows the motor half of the extruder base. My printers can print the whole extruder base, but I have better warp control printing it in two pieces. Even so, there is some warping that has to be dealt with. I printed the extruder base with 3 perimeters and 60% infill. All other parts were printed with 2 perimeters and 30% infill. This is the only part that should be printed with ABS filament for better heat control and the rest of the parts PLA should be sufficient. All my parts were printed with ABS from filament extruded on my V5 extruder.

Illustrated in this photo is the motor base half. There are four outriggers at the corners, two for mounting the base to the electronic case and two only for use in clamping the part to the printer bed. I use two steel bars across the outriggers clamped to the bed with clamps. The print is paused and I at-tach the bars when the outriggers are fully printed. As the print continues there is a layer separation as the part tries to warp. If you look close above photo you can detect the line at about 10mm high.

As I got a one small crack in the layer it had to be treated with solvent cement and clamped tight. The Auger mount half of the base is even worse. Repairing it required the use of #4707 heavy bodied solvent cement.

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24V Power Supply

PID

Motor Switch

SSR

Voltage Regulator

Heat Switch

Standoffs

The Case Top parts here shown are cemented together using SCIGRIP #2354 ABS Solvent Cement. The fix-ture time is 5 minutes. The Standoffs are for mounting the Power Supply and the SSR. Using the parts as template, mark and drill holes for the #4 screws

Once the top is assembled the Brass Heat Inserts are at-tached for mounting the Extruder Assembly. The four holes are resized with a 5mm drill bit. They can be in-serted with a soldering iron or as I do, attaching them to a long 4mm bolt and heating the insert with a mini torch for 8 seconds. This way I can get them in straight and plumb.

I mount all the electronics before the sides and bot-tom case parts are attached. The Case Top is sitting on 1/2” board keeping the Switches, PID and Volt-age Regulator Knob from getting damaged.

Note: There is no soldering required with these components.

Gear Motor

Auger Bit

Barrel

Heat Band

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Now the rest of the Case side parts are attached, again using Sol-vent Cement. There are some differences in these picture as they are taken on two different units as I built.

Align the Motor Case and the Auger Case and ce-ment them together. Alignment is critical so take extra care.

Final Case assembly is cementing the bottom parts to the Case Sides. Note I am using a foam pad under the Case to protect the elec-tronic parts. Also I have printed the case in one piece.

There are two hole drill-ing template stl file in-cluded. Print these and use to mark for the holes. Left is the MDF block template and right is the flange template. The MDF block template can also mark the cut size of the block.

The 1/2” MDF block is an insulator between the black iron flange and the Auger Hopper Case part. The auger hole is drilled with a 3/4” bit and the bolt holes are 1/4”. Pressed tight in the auger

The 4” black iron nipple used for the barrel is fabricated with a 1/16” hole that is drilled through so there are two hole about 1” from the flange end. The inside of the barrel will need burr dressing.

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The Auger Bit is one that I got from Filabot. I don’t know the brand but it is one that has a 0.60 diameter. The Auger Case is designed to accommodate this bit, wherein only one end needs to be cut off. I cut it at 11-3/8” long and then grind the end with a ta-per.

The black iron nipple used for the barrel has a weld ridge on the inside. Here I drill it out as much as possible with a 5/8” drill bit and then continue to dressing the inside of the barrel with a dremel to remove any burrs and the weld ridge. Note the 1/2” black iron coupler attached to the nozzle end. This is attached as strong as I can make it, as you don’t want it to turn when changing the nozzle.

The brass bushing in the MDF block can be pressed in with a press or a wood mallet. Make sure not to damage it. It should fit tight so not to turn with the auger turning. It may also need dressing. The flange shown here has not been drilled.

The flange here is attached to the nipple. Again, here the nip-ple is tightened till the end of the nipple is flush with the face of the flange. You will need a big pipe wrench for this. Note the holes have been drilled to match the MDF block holes.

With the Barrel finished I clean it out with a shop towel and solvent, otherwise the first extrusions white in color will be gray.

Page 5

Assemble the Auger Motor Case with the MDF block and the Barrel assembly using 4 M4 x 40mm socket head cap screws, 8 M4 washers, 4 phenolic washers. The bolts are not tight but just loose enough for the barrel to rotate with the oversize holes in the flange and the block. This lets the auger bit center itself in the barrel.

Insert the Auger Bit. The Auger Bit should rotate freely using your fingers to turn it.

Assemble the Auger Bit through the MDF Block, Auger Case and slip on the 1/2” washers and Thrust Bearing. First put on two 1/2” washers, then the Thrust Bearing consisting of (2) 1/2” stainless steel washers with the plastic ball bearing between and then another 1/2” washer. You do not want the auger to touch the motor shaft.

The motor is attached first to the Motor Case with (4) M5 x 16mm socket head cap screws using M5 washers. The printed coupler is then attached to the motor shaft. This coupler may be snug and require some dressing. The Auger Bit hex end is pushed into the coupler hex end. Again this may require some dressing.

Page 6

Here is the Extruder Assembly fully assembled. It is hooked up to a 24V power supply and brake in run-ning dry.

This is attaching the K type Thermocoupler with Kapton 1/2” tape.

The Heat Band is next slipped over the 1/2” black iron coupler and tighten.

The Fan mounting bracket is designed for either hori-zontal or vertical mounting of the Extruder. In the Desktop horizontal position the filament feeds through the bracket end. However I do not us the fan or the variable speed control.

The Fan Bracket is mounted to the Case with (2) M4x12mm SHCS. The mounting holes are 3.5mm for the screws to thread into the plastic case side.

Page 7

This is the Extruder fully assembled and extruding filament in the horizontal desktop configuration. In this configuration the Extruder has a hopper tran-sition (red) to fit a 3” cardboard shipping tube over.

Here is the filament cooling up on the floor as it is extruded. It is extruding between 20 to 25 inches per minute at a tolerance of +/- 0.06mm. My filament Spool Winder is a good addition to handle the filament for 3D printing as seen in the video.

The vertical configuration shown here shows a dif-ferent hopper transition for the 3” tube. Also the fan is mounted for the vertical mounting. I made two models, one with a variable voltage regulator to control the motor speed and the other with the variable voltage regulator omitted and a fan switch in its place. If you are extruding 1.75mm filament you may need to slow the motor down. As I extrude 2.60mm fila-ment I use the fan switch in lieu of the speed control.

Page 8

The spool winder is new and will be published sepa-rately on Thingiverse. A level wind is optional. The gear motors used here are some random ones I had on hand. Shown are two 12V digital speed controllers. This is without the level wind mechanism as it does well without.

This is the filament sensor to control the spool winder to compensate for the filament transition from Extruder to Spool. If the loop goes up the sensor will turn off the winder motor. If the loop goes down it will start the spool motor.

This Spool Winder has two variable voltage controllers one managing the feed drums and one managing the spool speed. It has now wound up dozens of spools of filament.

The spool motor is now fixed and the spool shaft has a rubber band belt that hole the spool against the latex cob. This can be done without the voltage regulator if you us a motor with the right rpm.

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 Part # DESCRIPTION SIZE UNIT  QTYFOB UNIT 

PRICESUB TOTAL SUPPLIER SUPPLIER PART # NOTES

1 Switches 120V EA 3 $0.50 $1.50 Electric Goldmine G20531B These were on sale

2 PID EA 1 $25.00 $25.00 eBay MYPIA ‐ TA4

3 Voltage Regulator 24V EA 1 $6.95 $6.95 MPJA Optional

4 Solid State Relay EA 1 $5.00 $5.00 eBay FOTEK SSR‐25

5 Screws #2 x 1/2" EA 2 $0.05 $0.10 Fastenal

6 Power Supply 24V EA 1 $25.00 $25.00 eBay LH LIHUA‐249W

7 Fan 12 or 24V 40mm EA 1 $1.00 $1.00 eBay I used 12V 

8 Knob for V.V. FT 6 0.008 $0.05 Pellets from Glenn Self extruded filament

9 M4 Bolts 12mm EA 6 $0.28 $1.68 Fastenal

10 Computer Power Cord 3 wire EA 1 $1.25 $1.25 eBay

11 Brass Plug !/2" NPT EA 1 $2.00 $2.00 Fastenal hollow core

12 Heat Band 1" EA 1 $23.00 $23.00 Zoro Tools

13 Coupler black iron 1/2" EA 1 $2.62 $2.62 McMaster Carr

14 Nipple Black Iron 4 x 1/2" EA 1 $1.30 $1.30 McMaster Carr

15 M4 Nuts EA 4 $0.03 $0.12 Fastenal

16 Phenolic Washers M4 1/8" DIY EA 4 $0.15 $0.60 McMaster Carr

17 Flange black iron  1/2" EA 1 $2.09 $2.09 Zoro Tools

18 Phenolic Insulator Block 2x2x3/8" EA 1 $1.50 $1.50 McMaster Carr 8710K216 Use template to size

19 Auger Bit 5/8 x 17" EA 1 $17.00 $17.00 Filabot

20 Extruder Case filament FT 105 0.008 $0.84 Pellets from Glenn Self extruded filament

21 Coupler motor to auger   FT 16 $0.01 $0.13 Pellets from Glenn Self extruded filament

22 Gear Motor 15 rpm EA 1 $76.00 $76.00 Phidgets 60ZY105‐2430/563XJ168G

23 Gear Motor         DONGZHENG MOTOR CO LTD  

24 M4 Washers EA 8 $0.03 $0.24 Fastenal

25 M4 Bolts 40mm EA 4 $0.28 $1.12 Fastenal

26 Washers  1/2" EA 3 $0.10 $0.30 Hardware Store

27 Thrust Bearing 1/2" EA 1 $2.80 $2.80 McMaster Carr

28 M5 Bolts 16mm EA 4 $0.17 $0.68 Fastenal

BOM  ‐ LYMAN FILAMENT EXTRUDER V6

29 M5 Washers EA 4 $0.05 $0.20 Fastenal

30 Welding Blanket EA 1 $2.25 $2.25 eBay Cut from large piece

31 Thermocoupler Type K EA 1 $1.00 $1.00 eBay

32 Case top right top FT 22 0.008 $0.18 Pellets from Glenn Self extruded filament

33 Case top left top FT 22 0.008 $0.18 Pellets from Glenn Self extruded filament

34 Case top rignt bottom FT 22 0.008 $0.18 Pellets from Glenn Self extruded filament

35 Case top left bottom FT 22 0.008 $0.18 Pellets from Glenn Self extruded filament

36 Case side small FT 24 0.008 $0.19 Pellets from Glenn Self extruded filament

37 Case side with hole small FT 8 0.008 $0.06 Pellets from Glenn Self extruded filament

38 Case side large FT 56 0.008 $0.45 Pellets from Glenn Self extruded filament

39 Case side with brkt hole FT 17 0.008 $0.14 Pellets from Glenn Self extruded filament

40 Case bottoms     FT 36 0.008 $0.29 Pellets from Glenn Self extruded filament

41 Fan Bracket FT 10 0.008 $0.08 Pellets from Glenn Self extruded filament

42 Brass Plastic Heat Inserts 3mm EA 4 $0.13 $0.52 McMaster Carr

43 Vertical hopper A FT 9 0.008 $0.07 Pellets from Glenn Self extruded filament

44 Vertical hopper B FT 31 0.008 $0.25 Pellets from Glenn Self extruded filament

45 Vertical hopper C FT 9 0.008 $0.07 Pellets from Glenn Self extruded filament

46 Shipping tube 3" ID x 12" EA 1 1.120 $1.12 ULINE

47 Screws #2 x 3/4" EA 8 $0.05 $0.40 Fastenal

48 Horizontal hopper transition FT 24 0.008 $0.19 Pellets from Glenn Self extruded filament

49 Hopper Funnel FT 32 0.008 $0.26 Pellets from Glenn Self extruded filament

50 Template for Wood Block FT 4 0.008 $0.03 Pellets from Glenn Self extruded filament

51 Template for Flange FT 4 0.008 $0.03 Pellets from Glenn Self extruded filament

52 5/8" ID Bronze Bushing EA 1 0.990 $0.99 McMaster Carr 2938T18

  ABS Solvent Cement   OZ 2 $1.50 $3.00 eBay 2354 SCIGRIP

  Electrican Tape   IN 12 $0.01 $0.12 Hardware Store

  Kapton Tape 1/2" FT 3 $0.04 $0.12 eBay

  TTT (this,that, the other) LOT 1 $5.00 $5.00

  Wire 22 ga FT 6 $0.10 $0.60 eBay

  Wire Connectors EA 10 $0.10 $1.00 Hardware Store

SUB TOTAL COST   $219.00

ESTIMATED FRT IN    @ 10% $21.90

TOTAL COST $240.90

Many items on eBay include Free Shipping 

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